Fluid purifier



Oct. 16, 1956 w. KASTEN `FLUID PURIFIER Filed July 8, 1949 IN VEN TOR. MM5/e /As TEN Wx @im A7' TURA/EY Patented Oct. 16, 1956 FLUID PURIFIER Walter Kasten, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Bendixviation Corporation, South Bend, Ind., a corporation et Delaware Application `luly 8, 1949, Serial No. 103,639

1 Claim. (Cl. 210-183) The present invention relates to an improvement in fluid demulsifying devices.

In the demulsication of -two fluids, such as water and gasoline r fuel oil, the dispersed phase or contaminant is caused to coalesce into droplets of such size that any diierence in specific gravity between the two phases will result in the separation of the phases into two separate layers. ln the treatment lof large quantities of fluid at relatively high velocities, the coalesced droplets may, however, separate so slowly that they are carried along with the continuous phase through the demulsifying unit and may even become re-emulsilied after leaving the unit. It is, therefore, one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a means which will cause the coalesced droplets of IJthe contaminant or dispersed phase to further coalesce to -form bodies of such size that they readily separate from the continuous phase even though the uid may be following at relatively high velocities. Another object is to provide a means whereby coalesced droplets of water suspended in gasoline, fuel oil `or the like are collected and readily separated into a separate layer. Further 'objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a vertical cross-section through a demulsifying unit embodying the present invention; and

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the element of the demulsifying unit taken on 'line 2 2 of Figure l.

Referring more specically -to the drawings, numeral l2 designates the housing or casing of my demulsifying unit, 14 `an inlet passage `for the contaminated fluid, i6 an outlet passage for the puried iiuid, 18 an outlet passave for the contaminating uid, and 23 a filtering and demulsifying element composed `of two sections 22 and 24 mounted in upper and lower chambers 26 and 28, respectively of housing 12. The upper and lower chambers 26 and 28 are rseparated by an annular partition 30 held in place between the upper and lower halves of the housing by suitable bolts 32 in anges 34 and 36 of the upper `and lower halves, respectively. The lower sec tion 24 of the :filtering yand demulsifying element through which the contaminated uid initially passes after it enters the unit and is distributed by a baie plate 38 consists of an external member 49 of a pleated cylindrical-shaped paper filter which is preferably impregnated with a resinous material to make it resistant to water, gasoline, kerosene and the like, and an internal member 42 of a iine fibrous mass of material, such as fiberglass, contained in an annular space between the inside Wall of the external member 40 and a perforated metal or wire screen cylinder 44 disposed concentrically inside of the external member 'and in `spaced relation thereto. The lower end of section 24 between the external member and the metal cylinder is sealed by `an impervious ring 46 cemented or otherwise secured to the end of said member 'and said cylinder. The ring 46 is provided with an interior downwardly turned ange 48 which is adapted to seat on a ring-shaped member 50 and to `support said lower section 24 in operative position against the lower side of partition 30 which completely encloses the upper end of the space between the external member 40 and cylinder 44. The ring-shaped member 50 forms a chamber 52 for receiving the coalesced droplets lof water or other fluid contaminant as said droplets settle downwardly vfrom the internal portion of the demulsifying element 20 through the large opening defined by flange 43 of ring 46. The outlet for the contaminant in the bottom of chamber 52 is controlled by -a valve 54 `actuated by a iloat mechanism 56 which is adapted `to be lifted when the contaminant reaches ka predetermined level to permit the contaminant to discharge through outlet 18.

The upper section 22 of llilter element 20 consists of a porous paper filter member 60 of the same material comprising the walls of the filter element 4i) and ya mass of fibrous material 62 coniined within fthe space provided between two perforated metallic or screen cylinders 64 and 66, 64 being spaced from the internal surface .of member 66 such :as to provide a fluid passageway or chamber completely surrounding the outside surface of cylinder 64. The upper end tof section 59 is completely sealed by an impervious disc-shaped member 68, and `the lower end of said section seats on the upper yside of partition 39 which completely seals the lower end of the annular space between the filter element 69 and the perfor-ated metallic or screen cylinder 64.

A wall 76 of impervious material such as metal or plastics is disposed in the annular space 'around the outside of cylinder V64 at the base thereof `and is spaced from said cylinder to provide a channel 72 for receiving any fluid contaminant passing through material 62. Preferably, the external lsurface -of wall is in contact with the internal surface of member 66 to give the latter internal support. In the demulsifying operation, the contaminant, i. e. any iluid contaminant of greater speciic gravity than the continuous phase, as for example water and gasoline, respectively, passing through the fibrous material 62 collects on the external surface of cylinder 64 and runs down said surface into the channel 72 formed by the lower margin of cylinder 64 and -wall 70. The contaminant collecting in said channel creates a head `or pressure greater than the diierential in pressure across the fibrous material 62, thus causing the contaminant to flow through the mass of iibrous material from outsideto-inside, this being in the upstream direction in relation to the iluid ow through the element. The contaminant liowing in the reverse direction through this mass of brous material remains in relatively large bodies such that when it emerges from the fibrous material, it readily descends through the iiuid to the chamber 52. Thus, it is `seen that any contaminant lwhich is not `separated by the lower section 24 of the demulsifying element is separated by section 22 in cooperation with channel 72. The puriiied fluid passes through the iilter member 60 and flows upwardly in the space between the said member and tthe internal surface of the upper half of the housing into the upper portion of said housing and outwardly through fluid outlet passage i6.

In the operation of the present device, fluid llows into the demulsifying unit through inlet passage 14 and is dispersed by baille plate 38 so that it flows varound the .space between lthe lower half `of housing 12 vand tlter member 40 yand thence passes through said vfilter member and member 42 of fibrous material where the dispersed phase is caused to coalesce into relatively large droplets. When these droplets reach the hollow internal portion of the demulsifying elements, most of the droplets are of sufficient size to overcome the velocity eect of the continuous phase and lsettle downwardly into Y collect on the external surface of: cylinder 645. The con-Y ,tamignant-V collecting the external surface passes down-Y wardly' into` channel 72 'and wheny sucient fluid has collectedginY said. channel to. overcome the differential in 'pressureA acrossY the fibrous material 62, it ows throughY Vthe/lower end of said material asrrelatively large bodies 'of uid and falls by gravity into chamber 52 to become a part of the separate Vlayer* of contaminant inV said chamber. Thepuritied iiuid passesupwardly between the lter element tandthe upperhalf of housing 12 and flows from thedemulsifying unit through Voutlet 16.

Y Although onlyv one embodimentVV of my invention has 'beenV shown. and described herein, it is understood that many modifications may he made to suit requirements. For example, Wall 70 may follow the pleated walls Iof member 60 or even be formedI integrally with the lower edge thereof, thus giving somewhat greater internal supportk to, said member. Further, the element 21% may be in the form of plates or the like instead of the cylinders,

as sh-own in the drawings, with the contaminant chamber` 52, disposed betweengsaid plates.

I claim: A Vliquid demulsifying device comprising a casing, ya

Vhorizontal partition dividing said casing into two compartrnent's `and having a central port therethrough, a liquid Vinlet passage in the lower compartment, a liquid outlet` passage in the upper compartment, a hollow `cylindrical demulsifying element mounted on ysai-d partition around` said port in each compartment, the hollow interiors of said elements communicating with one another through said port, a periorated'retaining member on the Ydown- Y `stream side of the element in the upper compartment, `an annular wall disposed near the bottom of said memoer and spaced, therefrom formingv a channel for receivingV the contaminant, and' imperora-te bottom in said channel,V the height of said Wall being Vsuch that the pressure of the contaminant in 'said channel lmay become greater Y than the drop in pressure across said demulsifying element. Y Y

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

